Wish him a good, productive football career, and wish him a great, long life.

Wish him well, but Jay Cutler won’t be completely well. The Broncos quarterback can’t beat diabetes as easily as he will beat the Raiders or the Chargers. But he doesn’t have to be defeated by this devastating disease. Twenty million other Americans live with diabetes. My mom and I are two.

The year 2008 has been very trying for some Denver pro athletes. Nene was diagnosed with, and underwent surgery for, testicular cancer. The Avs had a rash of difficult regular- and postseason injuries. The Rockies have lost Troy Tulowitzki for at least two months to a quadriceps injury, and Cutler has learned he has Type 1 diabetes.

Cutler was sick and tired late last season. He knew he was tired. He didn’t know he was sick. “I had no energy,” he says. He also was dropping weight, thirsty all the time and urinating frequently. Those are certain signs of diabetes, but many of us don’t realize it or won’t accept it.

But the 25-year-old Cutler, in his second pro season, played rather well through his worsening condition in October, November and December.

In the Broncos’ last eight games, Cutler threw for 1,807 yards — more than half his impressive season total of 3,497 — and 12 touchdowns and only six interceptions (compared to eight and eight in the first half of the season). He recorded three of his top four passer ratings in the second half.

So Cutler did hang in there, especially when he lost two of his three best receivers and the starting tailback.

He threw for the most yardage (304) on opening day in Buffalo and led a comeback in the final 2:13 that set up the wild, winning field goal.

But he also threw for four touchdowns (without an interception) and 244 yards in the December blowout here over Kansas City — at a time when Cutler was fading (35 pounds dropped) and fatigued.

Any criticism Cutler received then was, in retrospect, undeserved. It wasn’t his fault the Broncos finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs.

He’s so fortunate that a routine offseason blood test provided the evidence of diabetes, just as a blood test Nene submitted that led to the diagnoses of cancer.

Which should be proof positive about everyone getting regular blood tests. I found out several years ago.

Cutler was on a fast track to becoming a Pro Bowler and the legitimate successor to John Elway.

The track will be faster with daily management of his insulin and dietary changes. He already exercises more than enough. He will turn blood sugar into energy, energy into improved performance.

Jay will, too. He’ll get help from his insulin injections. And in football, he’ll get help from an improved offense and an enhanced defense. The Broncos likely won’t win a Super Bowl next season, but Cutler will be physically and mentally stronger — and much healthier.

He will have a new left tackle, additional quality wide receivers and a better understanding of Mike Shanahan’s complicated system. As the Broncos’ coach for 13 years, Shanahan has endured only two losing seasons, and not back-to-back.

The recent draft and the offseason acquisitions probably have elevated the return game, the overall special teams, the depth on defense and, especially, defensive tackle and the linebacking corps. The assistant coaches will be better or, as they understand from history, be gone.

And Jay can play.

A young boy in Mississippi in the early 1930s wasn’t allowed to play — or even attend school. He had to take insulin twice a day, difficult for a dirt-poor kid whose mother had died and father had drifted away.

At 8, he had started to lose weight, alarmingly, and nearly died before being driven to Memphis, Tenn., placed in a charity ward and diagnosed with what was termed “juvenile diabetes” (Type 1).

Not much was known about the disease by the general public or doctors at that time, so he was ordered to totally avoid sports. He worked on farms, educated himself and eventually became a department store executive and a well-beloved husband, father and friend. His young son watched, in horror, as the man injected himself with insulin and occasionally went into diabetic shock.

At 40, the man started to become ill from diabetes complications. His leg was amputated, he suffered severe nerve damage, and his body’s organs were shutting down. He had a heart attack and, shortly after, died in his sleep before reaching 50. He was a sports fan to the end. His last question was about the Broncos. He would respect Cutler and Cutler would respect him.

For hundreds of years, children and adults got diabetes and wasted to death. My father persevered and thrived, and, because of many more medical advancements, Cutler and millions of others, especially the kids, will do well.

Jay Cutler and I and all diabetics thank Dr. Frederick Banting and Charles Best, who, in the summer of 1921 at the University of Toronto, discovered insulin.

WASHINGTON — Thirty games into the 82-game NHL season, and nearly six weeks after the Matt Duchene trade, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic discussed the state of his team before Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at the Washington Capitals.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Rockies continued to bolster their bullpen Wednesday by agreeing to a contract to bring left-handed reliever Jake McGee back to Colorado. A major-league source confirmed the news, but the Rockies have not made the signing official.